Sheet metal nut

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to improvements in sheet metal nut members and particularly to sheet metal nut members in which the opposite end faces thereof are adapted to accommodate a screw member. The nut member disclosed herein is of one-piece construction and is adapted to be stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metal stock. Axially aligned and spaced end plate sections are separated by side plate sections which provide a plurality of adjacently positioned external wrench accommodating nut surfaces. Internally threaded aligned annular extrusions extend axially inwardly from each end plate section.

United States Patent 1 Sy gnator [11] 3,720,251 lMarch 13,1973

[ 1 SHEET METAL NUT [75] Inventor: Henry A. Sygnator, Chicago, 111.

[73] Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc., Chicago,

[22] Filed: Sept. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 178,196

US. Cl. ..l5l/2l R [51] Int. Cl ..Fl6b 39/28 [58] Field ofSearch..l5l/2l R, 21 B; 10/86 R, 86 A; 85/32 R [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 899,368 9/1908 Winter et al. ..10/86 R 2,443,0666/1948 Breedlove ..15l/2l B 2,716,434 8/1955 Crowthen ..151/21 B2,410,995 11/1946 Olson ..l5l/21R 2,758,627 8/1956 Randall ..l5l/21 CPrimary Examiner-Edward C. Allen Attorney-Robert W. Beart et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT The present invention relates generally to improvements insheet metal nut members and particularly to sheet metal nut members inwhich the opposite end faces thereof are adapted to accommodate a screwmember. The nut member disclosed herein is of onepiece construction andis adapted to be stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metalstock. Axially aligned and spaced end plate sections are separated byside plate sections which provide a plurality of adjacently positionedexternal wrench accommodating nut surfaces. Internally threaded alignedannular extrusions extend axially inwardly from each end plate section.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures C J3 J0 i 2a a 41 2a SHEET METAL NUT SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION Commercially available sheet metal nut members withwhich applicant is acquainted present certain structural and functionaldeficiencies which the present invention seeks to overcome. Conventionalsolid nut members usually permit a two way application, namely theapplication of either end surface of the nut member to a complementaryscrew member. It has not been common practice heretofore to providesheet metal type nut members which are capable of the above mentionedtwo-way application. Also, it has not been common practice heretofore toprovide sheet metal nutmembers of the above mentioned two way typewherein an unbroken nut periphery provides a plurality of adjacentwrench accommodating sides affording the external appearance of a solidnut member. It is therefore one 1 of the important objects of thepresent invention to provide a novel sheet metal nut member in whicheither of the opposite end surfaces may be applied with equal facilityto a complementary screw member.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvednut member of the above mentioned type which may be produced from asingle sheet of metallic stock. 1

The present invention also contemplates the provision of a sheet metalnut member as set forth above in which the thread convolutions thereofare adapted to aggressively impinge the thread convolutions of acomplementary screw member.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sheet metalnut which may be produced by the practice of relatively simple stampingand forming methods, thereby assuring relatively low manufacturingcosts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet metal nutmember which presents an external appearance corresponding with that ofa conventional solid nut.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The foregoing and other objects andadvantages will be more apparent from the drawing wherein FIG. 1 is aperspective view of a sheet metal nut which is representative of oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a central vertical sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 2-2 of FIG. 1, said view disclosing the axial extrusions priorto forming threads therein;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating threadconvolutions formed in the extrusions projecting axially inwardly fromopposed end sections of the nut;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 after the end sections have beenflexed toward each other so as to effect misalignment of the threadconvolutions in said extrusions;

FIG. 6 discloses the nut member applied to the complementary screwmember and tightened against the surface of the workpiece;

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals havebeen employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures,it will be seen that a 1 sheet metal nut member representative of oneembodiment of the present invention is designated generally by thenumeral 10. The nut 10 includes end sections or faces 12 and 14integrally joined by a side section 16. A tab 18 extends from the marginof the end plate or section 12 and is bent at ninety. degrees to form asecond side wall of the nut diametrically opposed to the previouslymentioned side section 16. Four additional tabs 20, 22, 24 and 26 arebent at right angles to the end sections 14 to complete a total of sixwrench accommodating walls of the nut 10.

The previously described. end sections and side walls are initially inthe form of a series of sheet metal stampings shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.The central area of the end sections 12 and 14 are formed respectivelywith axially aligned extrusions 28 and 30. While the adjacent edges ofthe extrusions 28 and 30 are separated from each other as shown in FIG.2, said extrusions are formed with helically aligned thread convolutions32 and 34, respectively. The end sections or plates 12 and 14 are thenflexed toward each other to occupy the relative positions illustrated inFIG. 5. This axial deflection of the end sections 12 and 14 reduces thedegree of separation of the extrusions 28 and 30, resulting in a slighthelical misalignment of the thread convolutions 32 and 34. Hence, whenthe nut 10 is applied to a complementary screw member 36 (FIG. 6)- andtightened against a workpiece 38, the thread convolutions 32 and 34 ofthe extrusions 28 and 30 will automatically become helically realigned,thereby causing resilient impingement of said thread convolutionsagainst the complementary thread convolutions of the screw member 36.This impingement functions to resist unauthorized or unintentionedretrograde rotation of the nut 10.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventioncontemplates the provision of a sheet metal nut which to all intents andpurposes as well as appearance, functions as a solid nut, and inaddition incorporates the self-locking feature resulting from theincrease in yieldable thread impingement as above described. It willalso be understood that sheet metal nuts contemplated by the presentinvention may be produced by the practice of stamping, forming andtapping methods in such a manner as to reduce manufacturing costs to aminimum. The strip of sheet metal may be sent through a progressivestamping and form- 1. A one-piece sheet metal nut member of the type inwhich either end face thereof is adapted to accommodate a screw member,said nut including axially aligned and spaced end plate sections, awrench accommodating side section extending axially between andintegrally connecting a pair of aligned superimposed margins of said endplate sections, wrench accommodating side sections extending between theremaining superimposed aligned marginal portions of said end platesections whereby to provide a complete series of external wr'enchaccommodating nut surfaces, and axially aligned internally threadedannular extrusions extending axially inwardly from each end platesection, both end plate sections being axially deflected toward eachother to helically misalign the thread convolutions of said extrusionsbefore application of the nut to a complementary screw member.

2. A one-piece sheet metal nut member as set forth in I claim 1 whereinsaid end sections are hexagonal in shape, and the side wall sectionscooperate to present a hexagonal nut periphery.

3. A one-piece sheet metal nut member as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid integrally connected side section and the remaining side sectionsare in flush engagement along their adjacent margins so as to afford theappearance of a conventional solid nut member.

4. A one-piece sheet metal nut member as set forth in claim 1 whereinone of the side sections is diametrically disposed with respect to saidintegral side section, and the remaining side sections coact therewithto provide an uninterrupted series of side wall wrench accommodatingsurfaces.

5. A one-piece sheet metal nut member as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe thread convolutions in the extrusions are such as to enable theapplication of either apertured end plate section to a complementaryscrew member.

6. A one-piece sheet metal nut member as set forth in claim 1 whereineach of the side sections extending between the remaining alignedmarginal plate portions are integrally joined along one edge with acomplementary marginal plate portion, the opposite edge of each of saidside sections being disposed in abutting relation with the inner surfaceof the other end plate section.

1. A one-piece sheet metal nut member of the type in which either endface thereof is adapted to accommodate a screw member, said nutincluding axially aligned and spaced end plate sections, a wrenchaccommodating side section extending axially between and integrallyconnecting a pair of aligned superimposed margins of said end platesections, wrench accommodating side sections extending between theremaining superimposed aligned marginal portions of said end platesections whereby to provide a complete series of external wrenchaccommodating nut surfaces, and axially aligned internally threadedannular extrusions extending axially inwardly from each end platesection, both end plate sections being axially deflected toward eachother to helically misalign the thread convolutions of said extrusionsbefore application of the nut to a complementary screw member.
 1. Aone-piece sheet metal nut member of the type in which either end facethereof is adapted to accommodate a screw member, said nut includingaxially aligned and spaced end plate sections, a wrench accommodatingside section extending axially between and integrally connecting a pairof aligned superimposed margins of said end plate sections, wrenchaccommodating side sections extending between the remaining superimposedaligned marginal portions of said end plate sections whereby to providea complete series of external wrench accommodating nut surfaces, andaxially aligned internally threaded annular extrusions extending axiallyinwardly from each end plate section, both end plate sections beingaxially deflected toward each other to helically misalign the threadconvolutions of said extrusions before application of the nut to acomplementary screw member.
 2. A one-piece sheet metal nut member as setforth in claim 1 wherein said end sections are hexagonal in shape, andthe side wall sections cooperate to present a hexagonal nut periphery.3. A one-piece sheet metal nut member as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid integrally connected side section and the remaining side sectionsare in flush engagement along their adjacent margins so as to afford theappearance of a conventional solid nut member.
 4. A one-piece sheetmetal nut member as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of the sidesections is diametrically disposed with respect to said integral sidesection, and the remaining side sections coact therewith to provide anuninterrupted series of side wall wrench accommodating surfaces.
 5. Aone-piece sheet metal nut member as set forth in claim 1 wherein thethread convolutions in the extrusions are such as to enable theapplication of either apertured end plate section to a complementaryscrew member.